FAQ

For amounts of CAD 6,000 and less, we accept all forms of payment including credit card. The deadline for payment is one week before the date of surgery (for surgery) and, for minor interventions (such as gastroscopy), until the day before the procedure.

For amounts over CAD 6,000, we only accept a bank draft or direct bank transfer. The amount must be paid, or the bank draft received approximately 4 weeks before the surgery date.

Due to the unpredictable situation, health guidelines have recently been changed. As of January 2022, COVID-19 testing is again required for all patients and accompanying persons (hotel permits only), despite the number of vaccines received.

The COVID-19 test must be done within 3 days prior to the gastroscopy/surgery. If you plan to have the gastroscopy done through the Michel Gagner Clinic, you must therefore have a second COVID-19 test before the surgery. A test done outside of the required time frame will not be accepted. In addition, the test must be a PCR test (nasopharyngeal or by gargle). Rapid tests are not accepted.

If you are traveling by plane or train to Montreal, the COVID-19 test must be completed upon arrival at your destination. Please plan for this additional time when planning your trip.

You have the option of completing the test at the operating room (at a cost of $200) or at the public system testing clinics. If you are interested in completing the test with us, please notify the clinic to arrange an appointment. If you are planning to do the test on your own, either privately or in the public system, please inquire about the time frame for obtaining the results as you will be responsible for sending us the results before the day of your surgery.

The liquid/preoperative diet is a low-calorie diet prescribed by your bariatric surgeon. The ultimate goal of this diet is to make you lose weight before surgery in order to reduce the risk of complications and the overall recovery time. Generally speaking, the duration of this diet can vary from 1 to 4 weeks. The specifics of the liquid/preoperative diet will be communicated to you during the preoperative interview with your nutritionist.

The goals of this liquid diet

• Decrease the size of the liver

• Lose 5% - 10% of the excess weight before surgery

• To begin making healthy lifestyle changes in order to improve surgical outcomes and increase long-term success rates

As the name implies, the "day before surgery" diet applies only to the day before the operation. The purpose of this diet is to avoid the presence of food residues in the stomach at the time of the surgery. The specifics of the "day before surgery" diet will be communicated to you during the preoperative interview with your nurse.

We have created a checklist (see Surgical Guide) to help you prepare for the day. The important and essential things are on it. It is very important to bring all the usual medication you are taking for the duration of your stay. If you have a CPAP machine, it is essential to have it with you during the surgery. We recommend that you travel light and bring only the essentials with you. Leave valuables/jewelry at home.

The surgery will take place at the Westmount Square Surgical Centre (WSSC) which is located at the following address

1 Westmount Square, Suite C-190

Westmount, Québec

H3Z 2P9
(514) 931-5055

Located in the City of Westmount, Westmount Square is a real estate complex designed by internationally renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

 ​​The Westmount Square Surgery Centre, opened in 2004 in an elegant and serene setting, offers the highest caliber of ambulatory surgical services of. Our two operating rooms and recovery room are unique in Canada and are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for multi-specialty surgery.

You will be transferred by adapted transportation (organized by the clinic) to the Embassy Suites by Hilton Montreal the day after the surgery.

Here is the address

208 Rue Saint-Antoine Ouest

Montréal, Québec

H2Y 0A6
+1 (514) 288-8886

The length of stay included in the surgery fee is one night. A confirmation of the room reservation will be sent to you by email. If you wish to extend your stay, please contact the hotel directly with the confirmation number, found in the email sent by the clinic.

Your admission time for the day of surgery will be confirmed by email approximately one week prior to surgery. The nurse needs to discuss with all patients on the same day of surgery to schedule surgeries as certain medical conditions require that they be prioritized.

If you have sleep apnea, symptoms may be exacerbated by general anesthesia in the immediate postoperative period. As a result, supplemental oxygen alone may not be sufficient. For your safety, we ask that you bring the CPAP machine with you during your stay as it will be used if your condition requires it, otherwise the surgeon may refuse to perform the surgery.

Most common medications such as those for high blood pressure, depression, hypothyroidism, cholesterol, acid reflux can be continued without problems.

If you are taking medication for diabetes, either insulin or oral medication, we ask that you follow up with your family doctor or endocrinologist, especially during the preoperative liquid diet. Doses may need to be readjusted during this stage.

On the morning of the surgery, the medications to be continued or omitted will be discussed during the preoperative interview with the nurse.

Due to the unpredictable evolution of the current pandemic, we do not allow accompanying persons in the surgical center. However, we have relaxed some measures and 1 accompanying person per patient is now allowed in the hotel. This person must provide a negative result of a COVID-19 test - done within 3 days before the operation - during the stay. The same guidelines regarding COVID-19 testing apply to accompanying persons.

If you live more than 2 hours away from Montreal, unless otherwise advised, we recommend that you stay in the region for a total of 5 days, including the 48-hour stay under our charge.

One of the possible complications after surgery is the possibility of developing of a blood clot (phlebitis) in the limbs and prolonged immobility is an important risk factor. Therefore, for all trips of more than 2 hours, regardless of the type of transportation, we recommend that you take the time to walk every 45 minutes.

In general, the recovery time is about 2 weeks. During this time, light physical activities such as walking, stationary bicycle and treadmill are strongly recommended. It is important to respect your limits, and to resume activities gradually according to your abilities and tolerance. If your work consists of office work, a 2-4 week break from work is expected. If your work is more physical, a 4–6-week break is then given.

A postoperative follow-up by phone with a nurse is scheduled 2 weeks after surgery. Telephone follow-ups with your surgeon are scheduled at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-op. The clinical coordinator will email you the blood test requests for the 3 month, 6 month and 12 month follow-ups. It is recommended that you make an appointment with your family physician or specialist 2 weeks after surgery for a closer follow-up of your health problems and adjustment of medication if necessary. A telephone follow-up is also planned with your nutritionist 1 and 2 months postoperatively.

Your family physician must send a request for access to the file by fax, and our clinical coordinator will then send the requested information. You can also contact our clinical coordinator directly by email to make the request.

Reconstructive surgery can be considered only after weight stability (at least 2 years postoperatively). You can then contact the clinical coordinator to make a request.